The Bruins wrapped up their draft by taking goaltender Lars Volden in the sixth round (181st overall). Volden hails from Oslo, Norway and played junior hockey in Finland this past season.

Playing for Blues Jr. in Finland, the 6-foot-3, 198-pound Volden had a 2.46 goals against average and .907 save percentage. This now makes two goalies taken in the sixth round in the last two years, as the B’s tabbed Zane Gothberg in last year’s draft. The Bruins do not have a seventh-round pick.

By DJ Bean | Comments Off on Bruins take high-schooler Rob O’Gara in fifth round

With the 151st overall pick, the Bruins went to school, taking Milton Academy defenseman Rob O’Gara. The left-shooting O’Gara is the second defenseman tabbed by the B’s in this draft, as they made Dougie Hamilton the ninth overall pick Friday night.

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds and 17 years of age, O’Gara is set to play his college hockey at Yale. O’Gara had two goals and seven assists for nine points this past season. He hails from Massapequa, NY.

Turns out the Bruins did scout more than one league, as they went to the USHL pool to grab Jacksonville native Brian Ferlin with the last pick of the fourth round (121st overall). The right-winger stands at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds. The Bruins’ first three picks, Dougie Hamilton, Alex Khokhlachev and Anthony Camara, all played in the OHL.

In 55 games last season, Ferlin totaled 25 goals and 48 assists for 73 points and 26 penalty minutes. The right wing played a year for Jacksonville of the MJBHL before playing the last two seasons for Indiana of the USHL.

At 19 years old, Ferlin is the oldest member of the Bruins’ draft class.

The Bruins continued their run on OHL players Saturday, taking left wing Anthony Camara with the 20th pick of the third round (81st overall). Given that the 17-year-old played last season for Saginaw, the B’s have now chosen players from the OHL with their first three picks (they chose Niagara’s Dougie Hamilton ninth overall and Windsor’s Alex Khokhlachev with the 40th pick).

Camara hails from Toronto and stands at 6-foot-0 and 194 pounds. He was ranked the No. 78 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. He scored eight goals and had nine assists for 17 points last season, his first in the OHL. Camara racked up 132 penalty minutes.

Scouting reports peg Camara as a gritty, hard-nosed winger, and he’s clearly a willing fighter. If he hopes to play in the physical style coveted by the B’s, he has a great role model at left wing in the organization in Milan Lucic.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said Friday night that he does not expect defenseman Dougie Hamilton, whom the team chose with the ninth overall pick in the NHL draft, to play in the NHL next season. If the 18-year-old doesn’t make the Bruins, he will return to Niagara for another season in the OHL.

“I’d say he needs a little more development,” Chiarelli said of the 6-foot-4, 187-pound blueliner. “He’s still fairly skinny. He has to be stronger, but you never know. You never know how he’ll have his summer, but my guess is that he’s at least a year away.”

The Bruins did not bring Hamilton in for a workout, and it was a surprise to the team that he was available with the ninth pick. Hamilton was ranked the No. 4 North American skater by Central Scouting.

“We basically said that we don’t have to bring this fellow in,” Chiarelli said. “If he’s there, it’s a no-brainer so we didn’t have to see anything extra on him. That’s how strongly we feel about him.”

If the Bruins are assuming that Hamilton will be in Niagara, and not in Boston, next season, this pick should not impact how the team approaches Tomas Kaberle this offseason. The team has had talks with Kaberle’s agent, and if the B’s are to retain him on a three-year deal, Hamilton could still come in for the 2012-13 and have a spot open if Johnny Boychuk, who is in the last year of his deal, does not return. Andrew Ference‘s deal is up in two seasons, so the Bruins are set to see a couple of defensemen’s contracts expire over the next couple of years.

While picking Hamilton doesn’t hurt any of those guys directly right now, it could eventually make things tough for the Steven Kampfers and Matt Bartkowskis of the world.

By DJ Bean | Comments Off on Dougie Hamilton not sure whether he’s ready for NHL just yet

Perhaps in a sign that the team may have not expected him to be available with the ninth overall pick, the Bruins did not host Niagara (OHL) defenseman Dougie Hamilton for a pre-draft visit. Hamilton, ranked the No. 4 North American skater in the draft by Central Scouting, slipped to the B’s in Friday night’s draft, and they selected the 6-foot-4, 187-pound blueliner.

“I didn’t visit there to interview but I met them at the Combine. I was maybe supposed to go visit them but it didn’t happen,” Hamilton said after being chosen. “I heard that they liked me and I’m just happy to be a Boston Bruin.”

Hamilton did make it to Boston for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, as some of the top prospects in the draft attended the game at TD Garden and spent the day there.

“We got to go in the room and meet a bunch of the guys, and talk to Tyler Seguinand guys like that, just got to watch the game and pregame skate,” Hamilton recalled. “The fans were basically standing the whole time and cheering, so that picture is in my head right now and it’s exciting.”

As for whether he’ll be in Boston next season, Hamilton said he’ll do what he’s told, and that either scenario will work for him.

“I have no idea,” Hamilton said when asked if he’s ready for the NHL. “It just depends what the Bruins want to do and I’ll be happy with whatever.”

Once he gets there, the big defenseman knows that he won’t be considered the big guy on the Bruins’ blue line given that captainZdeno Charastands at 6-foot-9.

“That’d be pretty special,” Hamilton said of potentially being paired with Chara at the next level. “I wouldn’t be the bigger D partner, that’s for sure, but I’m just going to work as hard as I can during the summer and hope for that opportunity.”

While you may not see him in Boston next season, the Bruins have added what they hope is a major piece of their future in Dougie Hamilton. The Niagara (OHL) defenseman wasn’t expected to be on the board at the ninth overall pick, but the B’s were able to snatch up the big defenseman, ranked as the fourth-best North American skater in the draft. One reason for his drop is the fact that despite the fact that this draft was widely considered to boast more defensive talent up top, only one other defenseman (Adam Larsson) was selected before the B’s were on the board.

So who is Dougie Hamilton? The 18-year-old described himself as a physical, capable defenseman and a “sneaky offensive player.” He played in for Niagara with his brother, Freddie, who was a fifth-round pick of the Sharks in the 2010 draft.

Hamilton compares himself to Jay Bouwmeester, Brent Burns and Rob Blake. Here are his measurables and statistics:

Date of birth: June 17, 1993 Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 187 pounds Shoots: Right

2010-11 stats: 67 games, 12 G, 46 A, 58 P, 77 PIM

Here’s a nice getting-to-know-you video from Open Ice Hockey:

Here’s what IceDogs coach Marty Williamson told NHL.com about Hamilton as part of the blueliner’s scouting report:

“Especially at this level, you find guys that are awkward or don’t have a lot of explosion. You’re 6-foot-4, you don’t have a lot of explosion (but) the jump off his skates is phenomenal. When he sees those opportunities to jump into the rush or lead the rush, I really believe it’s untapped what he can do. He’s a very special defenseman in our league. He just has to understand the details and he’s going to be a very good pro . . . Dougie gets himself very prepared for hockey games. He’s very diligent preparing himself. He goes about it very business-like. He’s mature beyond his years.’

Chris Edwards of Central Scouting likes Hamilton’s size, strength and puck-moving ability. Here’s what he had to say on NHL.com:

“He moves the puck well and makes good outlet passes, he does make good decisions with the puck, moves it very well out of his zone. He’s a big guy, he’ll take the body. ‘¦ He uses his size well. He can muscle people off the puck.”